Step up to leadership in FF

By Rebecca Petersen | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, April 5, 2008

I'm in the lobby of Sugarbush Lodge at Ruttger's Bay Lake, at least I'm pretty sure that's where I am.

Someone else drove us to our leadership destination. I'm here with 24 other folks from Fergus Falls doing the "Blandin Leadership thing." (It's fabulous, by the way.)

I'm all alone in The Lodge right now — well, me and Dolly Parton — who is singing in the background on some T.V. show. (Quite frankly, she's one of my heroes.) Just checked in again. She's on “American Idol.” But she looks tired. My gosh. How long has she been doing this? And she's still awesome.

This is how "leadership" strikes me. There are some people who have been in leadership roles for years and they're still awesome.

But, maybe they're waiting for (needing) some of those other leadership idols to come into the ranks.

We've learned that everyone is a leader in their own right. So, I also propose this — perhaps everyone is an American Idol in their own right.

I mean, seriously, how many times have you had a chance to sing your favorite song really loudly in the car? In the shower? On a stage? and think "that wasn't bad, that was pretty good!"

Or, you've written a play, a story, a poem and it's actually quite striking? Not to mention the dancin' you did at the VFW or in the parking lot or in your own living room?

"I can do this!" you thought.

And yes, it's true, you not only can — you did. Maybe you're not the next “American Idol,” but maybe it's time for all of us to step up to the plate and entertain Dolly Parton.

Let her sit back and enjoy. (and/or those leaders in our communities who love doing the leading but want some company.)

So, maybe it's also time for all of us to take more of a leadership role in our communities/projects/families — so everyone else can rest up and relax. It's a team effort.

Dolly Parton might just have to be my next hero in this

Leadership Campaign.

Well, at the very least, I can hear her singin' "Nine to Five" in the backgroud. That's worth something.

Okay — I said it was a stretch — Dolly Parton-Community Leaders — but there are similarities. We basically like what we're good at — for awhile — but we want and need someone else to step up to the plate and help us out.

Blandin Leadership builds confidence in new leaders, maybe we'll all become the next Dolly Parton or the next American Idol — or another community leader in many different capacities.

Rebecca Petersen is the director of A Center for the Arts in Fergus Falls.